BLUE DRAGONS PREP FOR DEFENSIVE BATTLE WITH GRIZZLIES

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team begins a two-game road trip on Wednesday night with a trip to play the rival Butler Grizzlies.

Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Power Plant in El Dorado.

The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and on sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) beginning at 5:15 p.m. CT with Sean Boston (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (analyst) calling the action. The game will be streamed free only on Butler Creative TV.

BLUE DRAGON WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
No. 1 Hutchinson (14-0, 8-0) at Butler (11-2, 6-2)
When: Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Where: Power Plant, El Dorado, KS
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Radio: KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5), 5:15 p.m. - Sean Boston (PBP); Daren Dunn (Color)
Video: Butler Creative TV
X: @bluedragonsport
CLICK FOR FULL BLUE DRAGON GAME NOTES (PDF Format)

Wednesday's game will be a battle of the top two defensive teams in the Jayhawk Conference.

The Blue Dragons are No. 2 in the KJCCC in scoring defense at 48.4 points per game allowed. They are third in field-goal defense at 32.1 percent and No. 1 in 3-point defense at 30.3 percent. Butler is No. 1 in scoring defense at 48.2 points per game allowed. The Grizzlies are second in field-goal defense at 30.9 percent and fifth in 3-point defense at 25.8 percent.

The top-ranked Blue Dragons (14-0, 8-0) earned their third one-possession victory of the season on Saturday after a 62-60 win over the Cowley Tigers at the Sports Arena. Sophomore Hailey Jackson sank a pair go-ahead free throws with 1.2 second remaining in regulation to give the Dragons the lead. Cowley hit a potential game-tying, but it came after the final buzzer sounded. Jackson had her seventh double-double of the season with 18 points and a career-high-tying 14 rebounds.

Jackson enters Wednesday's game as the KJCCC's leading scorer at 17.8 points per game for the season. Jackson was named the KJCCC Division I Player of the Week for the second-straight week on Tuesday.

Butler (11-2, 6-2 KJCCC) also had a tight battle on Saturday with a 52-48 home win over Coffeyville. The Grizzlies were held to 29.8 percent for the game, but hit eight 3-point goals to win their fifth game in a row.

For the third-straight game, Blue Dragon head coach John Ontjes, who is second on the KJCCC's all-time coaching wins list with 497 wins, faces another coach in the Top 10. Butler's Mike Helmer is No. 7 with 370 victories.